Co-HAB Tonsley

The Hon. T.T. NGO (15:03): My question is to the Minister for Manufacturing and Innovation. Can the minister tell the chamber of the success of the Co-HAB facility at Tonsley?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Manufacturing and Innovation, Minister for Automotive Transformation, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation) (15:04): I thank the honourable member for his question important question and interest in this area. The opening of the new co-working space by Innovyz at Tonsley is another indication of industry support and interest in this world-class facility. I note the Minister for Sustainability talked about having delegates visit at Tonsley, and it is becoming an area that we show off to our international visitors, who are very impressed with what is going on there.

I recently had the opportunity to launch Co-HAB at Tonsley, a co-working space that enables companies to establish themselves amongst the world-class facilities at the site, quickly and conveniently, by renting office space with access to shared facilities, including meeting rooms, internet access and parking facilities. Co-HAB is managed by Innovyz, right alongside Innovyz's business acceleration activities at Tonsley.

We know innovation is a way to secure the future of many sectors of industry, especially trade-exposed areas like manufacturing. This space has and will provide support to promote innovative businesses, and that's a very positive step. Co-HAB makes it easier for start-ups to establish themselves and for existing businesses to establish a presence within an innovative precinct.

Tonsley is already setting a new standard in Australia and is recognised as an international leader in collaboration and innovation, and the addition of Co-HAB will increase the wealth of opportunities that exist in the precinct and further distinguish it as a world-class hub for innovation. Co-HAB will provide an easy access point for companies to share ideas, resources, risks and the great rewards that can arise from cutting-edge innovation. I understand a number of companies have already used the space and established themselves there; companies like Simulation Australasia, Phillips Ormonde Fitzpatrick, Combine IT, Speakers Studio, Jensen Planning, Icons Alliance and AU Launch Services, to name a few.

To ensure that South Australia is the place where people and businesses thrive, the government has set itself some ambitious priorities and targets to achieve this through the government's sixth economic priority: growth through innovation. We set ourselves a target of one year to attract four additional companies to Tonsley and through the help of Co-HAB we've achieved that. In fact, the investment in Tonsley has been going along well, and there are other companies that are looking to engage with the precinct.

Companies like Simulation Australasia, the nation's peak body for the simulation community, chose to relocate to the collaborative working space at Co-HAB, because they saw the benefit of being around other like-minded companies in this world-class innovation hub. Simulation Australia's work to advance research, development and the use of simulation technologies will further add to Tonsley's growing reputation as an innovation district.

The transformation taking place at Tonsley is in the early stages of this 20-year project. Other iconic businesses such as Hegs Pegs that I have talked about in this place before, with the company's co-founder, Scott Boocock, have already established an office at Tonsley to take advantage of the innovation environment and to position themselves for growth.

I encourage members—any members who are interested—to visit the Tonsley precinct, if they haven't already, to have a look at the innovation and the collaborative innovation that is happening with the private sector companies—companies like Co-HAB—and also the education sector, including Flinders University and TAFE, which are out at Tonsley.